Is the 2009 Corvette ZR1 really the end of an era? Popular Mechanics doesn't think so. They're already speculating on what might be in store for the 2012 Corvette "C7", and they see a future that includes higher performance and better fuel economy. Among the many questions are whether the next Corvette offer a twin-turbo direct-injection V6? The answer? Maybe. How about a range of smaller V8 engines? Perhaps. Then there's the age-old question: Will the engine will be moved to the middle, behind the driver? No. Here's what PopMech has to say about an engine moving amidship:

"One thing we know with certainty is that the mid-engine Corvette-the one that pops up as a production possibility every decade or so-remains just a wistful idea. "The mid-engine Corvette is simply too expensive," says auto analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics. "It would need costly new tooling and offers little weight savings because it requires an extra, metal-intensive firewall."

The rest of those questions and more are answeredspeculated upon for your enjoyment. Although we're still on a high from our ZR1 first drive, we probably should be worrying about what's next, shouldn't we? [Popular Mechanics]